Taggers avoid jail time for defacing New Bedford buildings

Two Rhode Island men who went on a spree tagging historic downtown buildings with graffiti in October 2011 will have to do community service to make restitution but won't serve any jail time.

CURT BROWN

NEW BEDFORD — Two Rhode Island men who went on a spree tagging historic downtown buildings with graffiti in October 2011 will have to do community service and make restitution but won't serve any jail time.

Judge Beverly Cannone today ordered Reddick Vaughn, 25, and Shawn Marrow, 35, both of Providence, to pay $3,900 in restitution combined, perform community service and serve three years of probation.

The judge ordered Vaughn to perform 400 hours of community service and Marrow 500 hours after they each pleaded guilty to 11 counts of tagging in New Bedford District Court.

Both men declined to speak with The Standard-Times today after their pleas.

A third defendant, Kyle Pollock, 27, of Lincoln, R.I., did not enter a plea and has a trial date of April 30 in district court.

Prosecutor Caleb Weiner today recommended that Vaughn and Marrow receive a sentence of two years in the Bristol County House of Correction with a year to be served and the balance suspended. The prosecutor also requested 500 hours of community service as well as restitution.

In April of last year, Marrow and Vaughn entered guilty pleas in the tagging case, only to withdraw them minutes later when they learned Judge Peter J. Kilmartin was ordering Marrow to serve four months and Vaughn to serve three months in jail.

The three men were charged in the Oct. 15, 2011, defacement of at least 11 downtown properties, including the historic Seamen's Bethel, the Custom House and the Zeiteron Performing Arts Center.

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